GEOG 5Gillespie, Thomas2012 FallWeek 3Lecture 7October 18, 2012Announcements- Required readings: Chapters 12 and 14 Outline of Last Lecture I. Discussion of important agricultural plants Outline of Today’s Lecture 1. Discussion of drugs 2. Agriculture in CA 3. Genetically Modified Food 4. Ethno botany Today’s Lecture1. Name: Tobacco (nictonia tabacum) Origin: New World History: been used for 8000 years. First discovered by Columbus on Tobago Jamestown established by the British How it’s grown: it’s a perennial, but it is harvested annually. Impact: Good (as far as agriculture) very highly regulated and manyBad (for humans) 1 in 5 deaths in U.S occur from smoking diseases.2. Name: Opium Poppy ( Papavera Somniferom) Origin: Southern France History: 18th century was wildly grown – became illegal in 1718 in EuropeOpium Wars 1839 – forced importation of opium into China How it’s grown: Harvested by slicing the top of capsule and tar oozes outIt has over 50 alkaloids – including morphine. Impact: Bad – heroin!3. Name: Hemp (Cannabis sativa)Origin: China History: 8500 BC – used as rope and paper. Illegal in the U.S in 1934How it’s grown: Dioecious – one plant is male and other is female – female plant has the highest THC – sold in the bud form Impact: Good – because grown so locally (environmental impact)Good – it doesn’t kill you! – Social justice issue Agriculture in California These notes represent a detailed interpretation of the professor’s lecture. GradeBuddy is best used as a supplement to your own notes, not as a substitute.- 2010 California’s agriculture totaled 43.5 billion dollars - Top 10 Exports from CA: 1. Milk 2. Grapes 3. Almonds 4. Strawberries 5. Lettuce6. Tomatoes7. Pistachio nuts8. Walnuts 9. Flowers 10. Hay - Problems with water – resulting in a big water war in CA - 2009 – 750,000 acres in CA went without water – causing loss of $1.5 billion and 40,000 jobs - New plants which need less water e.g. olives (252%), pecans (163%), pistachios (95%) all increased by huge percentages Genetically Modified Food - Incorporates desired traits of food and animals to transgenic foods - Benefits of GM Foods:1. These new plants have larger yield, better nutrition (Green Revolution) 2. Disease and pest resistant Increases environmental tolerance (can be modified togrow plants in more climates) 3. Add vaccines to crops (can add a vaccine against diarrhea to tomatoes!) - Is this good or bad? 1. Environmental problems (harmful to the ecosystems, animals/native plants)2. Food safety – contamination. 3. Terminator technology - Bad if you eat these foods? – We are already eating them!! o 90% corn, sugar boats, soybeans are genetically modified o 2010 National Academy Sciences (NAS) – report reduces pesticides and erosion – Their summary was to not go overboard – we cannot really see the impact yet it takes time! Ethno botany - How humans learn about plants - Shamans, Druids, Herbalists – still employ ethno botany by testing out plants - Wade Davis: o Graduate student at Harvard in ‘70s o Goes to Haiti and follows up on story about zombies!o Finds out about a potion which supposedly makes someone into a zombieo Puffer fish – causes your heart to slow down to very slow so it cant even be detected Native American Indians: - Use of plants and herbs for medicinal and other purposes: o Bay leaves: keeps fleas and insects away o Yucca: used to make baskets and as a needle and thread o Willow: tree where we get aspirin – acts as a painkiller o California buckeye – used in fishing. Smash into a powder then throw the powderinto the water forcing the fish to float to the service (as gets rid of